Upon leaving each session, I feel empowered, effec-

tive, and enlightened as I head back to my vocation.

The tools gained serve as catalysts to my leadership

awareness and promote growth along this path to be-

ing a complete leader.

-Julian Forde, 2014 Emerging Leader

In February, members of the AlumniCorps community,

along with our supporters in the nonprofit and public sec-

tors, gathered in New York City and Washington, DC, to

celebrate the newly-graduated Emerging Leaders class of

2014. AlumniCorps Board and staff members, Emerging

Leaders program alumni, employers, advisers, family mem-

bers, and other supporters helped to honor the participants’

accomplishments and the program’s success. The receptions on February 20th in Washington, DC,

and February 27th in New York marked the completion of

the program’s third year. Last June, the new group of par-

ticipants began gath-

ering for monthly ses-

sions to develop their

skills in the nonprofit

and public sectors.

Participants were

coached in such ar-

eas as nonprofit fi-

nancial reporting,

presentation skills,

and fundraising fundamentals through skill-based activities

and discussions with subject experts. For other topics that

relate to emotional intelligence and team dynamics, pres-

entations and best practices were combined with experien-

tial learning and peer group collaboration. The goal of the

program is to build the capacity of the participants, and the

nonprofit and public sectors as a whole, as well as to ad-

dress complex public issues by equipping talented young

Winter 2014 Volume 17, Issue 1

Continued on Page 2

Princeton AlumniCorps is gearing up for its 25th anniver-

sary! From May 2014 to May 2015, a year-long series of

programs will celebrate and deepen our partnerships, mo-

bilize our growing alumni community, and affirm Alumni-

Corps’ record of inspiring civic leadership.

The anniversary programs will kick off with a half-day

conference held at American University in Washington, DC

on May 3, 2014. Our panelists and keynote will address the

theme of “Living the Nonlinear Life.” From young alums

positioning themselves for leadership to experienced alums

looking for new ways to get involved, this event will appeal

to anyone who is looking to answer the challenge Ralph

Nader ’55 issued to his classmates in the spring of 1989:

What are you going to do with the rest of your life?

Area committees are busy planning events in other re-

gions that will be similarly inspirational, provocative, and

engaging. In collaboration with partners at the University

we will host a conference on campus in 2015 and cap off

the year with a gala at Reunions 2015. Stay tuned for more

information about an event near you!

Please join us for a year of events celebrating 25 years of building civic leadership!

May 3rd: Living the Nonlinear Life

A half-day conference in Washington, DC focused on the many paths to public service.

October 28th: 25th Anniversary Event

in Chicago

Fall 2014 and Spring 2015: Regional Events in New York, San Francisco, and Boston

Early 2015: Public Service Conference in

Princeton Connect with other alumni, faculty, and students who

are working on public issues. Dive into causes you care

about and be challenged to take action.

May 28th, 2015: 25th Anniversary Gala!

2

The 2014-15 Emerging Leaders

Application is now open!

The Emerging Leaders program is offered in New York and Washington, DC beginning in

June of 2014.

Applications are due March 15th and are open to

Graduates of any college or university

With 2-8 years of full-time work, including at least one year in the nonprofit sector

Who are currently employed in the nonprofit sector and have some degree of manage-ment responsibilities.

managers with the skills to launch them into leader-

ship roles.

Addressing the attendees in New York, Alumni-

Corps President Kathy Miller ’77 spoke about the

value and uniqueness of the program: “Emerging

Leaders provides participants with a framework for

developing the innate leadership talent of our partici-

pants and how they can use it effectively... In addi-

tion to hard skills like how to fundraise or pitch an

idea, what makes the Emerging Leaders program

unique is that it gives participants a space to learn

the interpersonal perspective needed to be a

leader.”

Many employers were in attendance at the cele-

brations. Rachael Peters, New York City Executive

Director of Peer Health Exchange, Inc., described

the significance of the program to her organization.

“There aren’t resources for professional develop-

ment for leaders at this level, so Emerging Leaders

was a comprehensive, affordable, and thoughtful

option that made sense. This program has been

great in that we recognized our employee as a

leader and she has already brought lessons from

Emerging Leaders back to our team,” Rachael said.

“The most impactful part has been the peer-to-peer networking. I think we formed a special team of incredible people with incredible talent who will continue to foster each other as the years go on.” Samara Berger

2014 Emerging Leader

AlumniCorps President Kathy Miller ’77, Emerging Leader Caitlin Moth-erway, and Program Leader Margaret Crotty ’94 in New York

DC Emerging Leaders and Program Designer and DC Lead Facilitator Hilary Joel ’85

DC Lead Alumni Volunteer Elizabeth Lindsey *07 congratulates Trevor Lewis on completing the program

3

Since October 2010, the Community Volunteers program

has matched experienced Princeton alumni to high-impact

pro bono projects in the nonprofit sector. Community Vol-

unteers projects and events have engaged alumni in New

Jersey, Chicago, New York, and Washington, DC, with a

focus on graduates from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s.

As the program has grown, it has become clear that par-

ticipating alumni do more than just volunteer their time and

talent. They bring years of perspective and expertise to

bear on important projects or persistent challenges with our

nonprofit partners. They draft strategic plans, secure major

new sponsorships, advise on tricky legal matters, and pro-

pose program improvements. To better express the range

and impact of Community Volunteers, AlumniCorps has

given this program a new name: ARC Innovators.

The inspiration for the name comes from a simple de-

scription of what alumni in the program do: Apply expertise.

Renew commitment. Create change. The projects selected

for this program

require creative

thinking and spe-

cialized skills to

arrive at solutions

that help partner

organizations meet

their missions more

effectively. For this

reason, alumni who

participate in the

program are known

as Innovators.

Alumni Innova-

tors complete a

meaningful project

that has a positive

impact on the part-

ner organization.

They also hone

their profes-

sional skills, de-

velop new con-

nections in the

sector, and clar-

ify their own

sense of mission

and value. ARC

Innovators is

designed for

a l umni who

have significant

professional experience and want to commit 2-6 months to

working closely with senior management at a nonprofit or-

ganization in their community. The program is a pathway to

action for alumni who meet these criteria, especially those

who are:

Reentering the workforce after raising a family

Building a resume to help with a job search

Planning a career change into the nonprofit sector

Approaching retirement

Exploring a public issue in more depth

Getting more involved in their local community

Looking for a project to add meaning

With this new name comes new energy. Thanks to the

Chet Safian Innovation Fund, ARC Innovators is expanding

in 2014 with projects in New York City and Washington,

DC. The program is currently taking applications for the first

round of six New York projects and five new projects in

Princeton. DC projects will be announced later this spring.

Marci Alboher, Anne Tergesen ’86, Karen Ali ’78, and Sharon Keld ’80 discuss career transitions at the ARC Innovators kick-off in NYC

Interested in becoming an ARC Innovator?

For information about projects in your area and to read profiles of past Innovators,

visit the ARC Innovators page at:

www.alumnicorps.org

Grif Johnson ’72 volunteering at Wilderness Leadership and Learning (WILL)

Eloise Salmon ’07 served as a PP55

fellow at Partnerships for Public Ser-

vice. She now serves as Lead Alumni

Interviewer. This January, 12 alumni

interviewed would-be PP55 fellows

from a record pool of 158 applicants.

I can hardly believe almost five

years have passed since my Project

55 Fellowship. Four years of medical

school and eight months of residency

later, I am more convinced than ever that my fellowship

year fostered personal growth that has increased my ser-

vice impact as a pediatrician-in-training.

One way I have chosen to say “thank you” to Project 55

is by returning to Princeton for a day or two each January

to take part in the applicant interview process. Just as

speaking with prospective students is a highlight of the

alumni experience for many Princeton grads, I have found

participating in fellowship interviews to be a tremendously

rewarding way to remain connected to Project 55.

The intelligence, articulateness, and enthusiasm of the

applicants are not only inspiring, but also a testament to the

results of a Princeton undergraduate education. Some ap-

plicants have long pondered a career in the nonprofit world

and have particular placements in mind to build a specific

skill set; others simply value public service more generally

and see the fellowship as an ideal way to gain professional

experience while continuing the search for their own career

path. In either case, a key piece of every interview is a dia-

logue about which organizations might offer the best

fit. This focus on everyone winning sets the Project 55 in-

terview process apart, and allows the interviewer to do

more than just ask questions and take notes – you have

the privilege of introducing soon-to-be-alumni to possibili-

ties they may not have previously considered.

As you look ahead to January 2015, I would encourage

all Project 55 alumni, and especially those in New York,

New Jersey, or Philadelphia, to see if their calendars will

permit spending a day in Princeton for applicant interviews.

You will connect (or re-connect) with other Project 55

alums, learn about the newest fellowship placements, and

be reminded what it was like to have life after Princeton be

an unknown. I promise you will not regret taking the time.

4

Last fall, Melissa Frey Mazin ’91 and Craig Mazin ’92 joined with Scott

Taylor ’75 to challenge Project 55 alumni to raise $15,000 for AlumniCorps before

the end of 2013. Thanks to 93 PP55 donors, we successfully raised $15,888 and

received $15,000 in matching funds! We are grateful to all of those who contributed

to this effort. To meet our participation goal, we need to receive gifts from another

100 alumni in the second half of the year. We are asking all former PP55 fellows and

interns to make a contribution before June 30, 2014.

On February 23, members of the Keystone Society came to Princeton for a break-

fast honoring individuals who have made a planned gift to AlumniCorps. Professor

Stan Katz h’21 spoke with the group about philanthropic trends and the Giving

Pledge. Kathy Miller ’77 and Sharon Keld ’80 were inducted as members.

Prior to the Keystone breakfast, we talked with Jim Gregoire ’69 about his deci-

sion to join the Keystone Society. Jim was the first non-’55er to join the AlumniCorps

Board, due to his leadership in community service for the Class of ’69. He was also the head of the AlumniCorps Finance

Committee for many years. He said that he and his spouse Jane felt that it was important to demonstrate a long-term com-

mitment to the financial strength of the organization. They won’t be around in fifty years, but AlumniCorps will, and they want

to do their part to make sure that happens. They hope that their gift will be one of several that will double the size of the en-

dowment and therefore contribute substantially to the annual operating funds. “We should all have an estate plan,” Jim

noted, “and we encourage you to put Princeton AlumniCorps in yours.” To learn more about the Keystone Society and how

you can become a member, contact Sharon Keld ’80, Development Officer, at skeld@alumnicorps.org.

As of February 7, Princeton AlumniCorps has raised over $325,000 from 360 donors. We are grateful to all of our donors

and volunteers, and we thank you for your support! Our goals are to raise a total of $387,000 by June 30. If you haven’t sent

in your gift yet, please consider a gift now!

Keystone Society members at the annual breakfast

5

Jasmine Jeffers ’11 joined the AlumniCorps team in January 2014 as our new Outreach

Coordinator. She will be working to energize PP55 alumni and broaden the reach of Alumni-

Corps, priorities identified in the 2013-16 strategic plan.

Before joining the staff at AlumniCorps, Jasmine worked as a development staff member

for two different nonprofits in the New York City area: the New York Common Pantry and as

a PP55 fellow at New Heights Youth. Jasmine’s experiences as a fellow directly informed her

decision to transition to this role. She is looking forward to connecting with inspiring individu-

als from every corner of the AlumniCorps community. Since entering this role, she has met

with alumni from every several class years and professional sectors and has consistently

been impressed with Princetonians’ passion for public service and their commitment to creat-

ing positive change. Her identity as a Princetonian and a nonprofit development professional influence her approach to

the Outreach Coordinator role since she feels personally invested in the AlumniCorps community and has the experi-

ence needed to empower other alumni and translate enthusiasm into positive action.

Jasmine Jeffers ’11, Outreach Coordinator

Sharon Keld ’80, Development Officer

Sharon is a long-time AlumniCorps mentor in Chicago and a habitual volunteer. With a

professional background in marketing, a few years ago she began to feel the desire to

make a professional move that would combine her marketing skills and expertise with the

reward she felt in volunteering. She joined the Peace Corps and served in Morocco as a

small business development volunteer, helping artisans with small business. She also did

two short-term stints in marketing at Habitat for Humanity Philippines and then in public

relations at Millennium Challenge Account-Armenia.

The Development Officer position at AlumniCorps appealed to her because it combined

not only her desire to apply marketing expertise in a nonprofit setting, but also her love of

Princeton and Princetonians. What appealed to her while interviewing was the passion of

the staff members and the volunteers as well as the way that AlumniCorps changes the lives of the program par-

ticipants.

With the 25th anniversary approaching, Sharon feels that she has joined the organization at a good time. She

is looking forward to events celebrating that milestone and to helping chart the plans for the future of alumni-

driven civic leadership.

Caryn Tomljanovich, Program Coordinator, ARC Innovators

Before joining AlumniCorps in November 2013, Caryn had a diversity of experience in the

nonprofit and academic sectors. She has experience in development and fundraising work

for an art museum and local land preservation organization and has worked extensively on

grant writing, program development, marketing and implementation in local community and

economic development organizations. For several years, she worked at Colgate University

to design and implement the strategic plan for the Upstate Institute which connected stu-

dents and faculty with civic engagement projects in the Central New York region.

Caryn says the energy and enthusiasm of the people in the organization appealed to her.

She loves the idea of helping people connect to organizations and experiences that can

have a positive impact on their lives and the long term well being of the nonprofit. She is looking forward to see-

ing the program grow and see the potential that it has for the future as well as making the first ARC Innovator

matches in New York and Washington, DC.

Princeton AlumniCorps is excited to welcome three new staff members to our team: Jasmine Jeffers ’11,

Caryn Tomljanovich, and Sharon Keld ’80, all of whom joined the staff in the last five months.

In October, fellows got together to enjoy a historic San

Francisco walking tour of the Embarcadero neighborhood

(titled “Making Waves on the Waterfront”). The tour ex-

plored both popular attractions and hidden gems along the

Bay, while providing colorful history and interesting trivia

about the area. It was a unique opportunity for recent (and

not so recent) transplants to the area to learn something

new and discover new spots in SF!

In November, Princeton AlumniCorps Bay Area and the

Princeton Club of Northern California collaborated to host

a panel and mixer on Careers in Social Impact for fellows

and other Princeton alumni. Featured panelists included

Emily Chiswick-Patterson ’05 (former PP55 fellow, cur-

rently at Isaacson Miller), Josh Brankman ’99 (Executive

Director of Outward Bound California), Rachel Zwillinger

’05 (legal fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Coun-

cil), and David Veneziano (CFO/COO at ZeroDivide.org).

The panelists shared their experiences in the nonprofit

and social sectors, provided guidance on career paths,

and answered tough questions from the audience about

the pros and cons of working in social impact. Future

events include a similar seminar on the topic of education

reform.

6

The Chicago weekly seminar series has continued to

thrive, with recent seminars at the Center on Halsted,

Academy for Global Citizenship Charter School, Asset-

Based Community Development Institute, Lawndale Chris-

tian Legal Center, Crossroads Fund, and Greater Chicago

Food Depository. The Greater Chicago Food Depository

seminar has been one of the favorites of the year so far,

as fellows had an opportunity not only to learn about the

organization but also to volunteer. In total, the Project 55

fellows, along with fellows from Northwestern University

and University of Chicago Public Interest Programs and

other volunteers, sorted 19,000 pounds of apples for distri-

bution.

On February 10, we hosted a kickoff event to start plan-

ning for Chicago's AlumniCorps 25th anniversary celebra-

tion. We had great attendance from current and former

fellows, area committee members, and other Chicago

alums. We were also honored to have Executive Director

Andrew Nurkin, Outreach Coordinator Jasmine Jeffers

’11, and Development Officer Sharon Keld ’80 from

AlumniCorps speak to us about the work of AlumniCorps

nationwide and their plans to celebrate the 25th anniver-

sary. We're looking forward to a great 25th anniversary

event this October, and we'd love to get even more volun-

teers on board to help plan. Please reach out if you'd like

to help with this exciting work!

On February 27

we hosted a happy

hour for mentors,

f e l l o ws , a n d

m e n t o r s a t

large. Fellows got

to know each

other better and

made connections

that may help

The Boston area committee organized an info session

at the end of January for prospective partner organiza-

tions. The event was co-hosted with the Center for Public

Interest Careers at Harvard (CPIC) and the Stanford SPIN

program. About 25 organizations attended.

At the end of February, a seminar cosponsored with

CPIC was held at the Phillips Brooks House at Harvard

focusing on public interest law and Andrea Campbell '04

spoke.

Our Connecticut Project 55 fellows continue their great

work. Housing Development Fund, one of our Connecticut

partner organizations, celebrates its 25th anniversary this

year. Three alumni or current Project 55 fellows, Diane

Cho '13, Sabrina Szeto ’12, and Mary Thierry ’12, are

all busy helping HDF meet its mission during this exciting

time for the organization. Nabiha Nurruzaman '13 contin-

ues her work as a Special Projects Fellow at the Norwalk

Community Health Center.

Chicago volunteers visit with John Fish ‘55

The Philadelphia Area Committee is looking to recruit

active volunteers to help grow AlumniCorps’ impact in the

region. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact

Paul Nehring ’10 at pnehring@alumnicorps.org or at

609-921-8808.

7

them as they plan for what to do

after their fellowship year.

We've been working hard to

recruit great fellowship appli-

cants to Chicago. Whitney Spal-

ding Spencer '07 met with 21

applicants in Princeton in Janu-

ary, and our fantastic communi-

cations subcommittee, mainly

Katie Thaeder '09 and Kathy

Qu '13, developed a marketing

video for the Chicago program.

The DC Steering Committee has been keeping the Pro-

ject 55 and TAN affiliate fellows quite busy in the last few

months. In November, our fellows engaged in a thoughtful

discussion on "Managing Relationships," facilitated by DC

Steering Committee Mentorship Chair Lisa Lazarus '02.

The seminar encouraged fellows to cultivate relationships

with colleagues, supervisors, and peers- both inside and

beyond the workplace. Suggestions were provided on how

to strengthen pre-existing relationships, as well as how to

identify and approach new mentors or sponsors. Many

thanks to Lisa for her excellent facilitation and fantastic

content. Thanks also to Partners for the Common Good

and DC Steering Committee Co-Chair Dana Weinstein

’12 for hosting the seminar.

In December, DC Steering Committee Social Chair Amy

Sweeny ’12 and Committee Co-Chair Dana

Weinstein ’12 hosted a holiday dinner and get-together

for PP55 and TAN Affiliate fellows at Local 16 on U St.

The venue provided the group the use of the upstairs din-

ing area and several fellows from Harvard, Washington

and Lee, and Dartmouth joined PP55 fellows and commit-

tee members for the dinner. As most fellows had been in

their positions for several months and had acclimated to

their new city and work, this event was a great chance for

them to catch up with their peers. The dinner included dis-

cussion on beginning to take ownership of work within fel-

lowship positions and on understanding the various as-

pects of public interest work from a first-hand perspective.

Altogether, it was a nice break from the pre-holiday rush!

In January, we were fortunate to continue professional

development opportunities for our fellows with a seminar

entitled "Planning Your Next Move." The seminar was co-

presented by Ari Altman '97, emeritus Chair of the DC

Steering Committee, and Annie Czerwinski of LeaderFit,

an executive search and human capital consulting firm

serving nonprofits, foundations, and social enterprises.

Annie guided an interactive dialogue to help fellows con-

sider what they are passionate about and how to structure

a career path(s) around those interests. Ari provided a

hands-on resume-crafting workshop to help best position

fellows for their future endeavors. We are grateful to both

for their expertise and generous donation of their time!

Thanks once again to Partners for the Common Good for

hosting the seminar at their offices.

Recently, the Steering Committee completed mid-year

check-ins with our fellows to find out how we can best sup-

port them throughout the remainder of the fellowship year.

Additionally, we were fortunate to be able to recruit fantas-

tic organizations and positions for next year. We are look-

ing forward to a great rest of the year and getting in touch

with our new fellows soon!

Project 55 fellowship alumni in the New York area re-

connected during a networking event planned and hosted

by Clara Botstein '07. Also, Scott Taylor '75 and Court-

ney Taylor s'75 graciously hosted a holiday party for cur-

rent fellows, recent fellows, mentors, and Steering Com-

mittee members.

In January the fellows enjoyed watching an Upright Citi-

zens Brigade improv show with fellows from the Harvard

Center for Public Interest Careers and Dartmouth Partners

in Community Service programs.

In late January fellows, mentors, and committee mem-

bers braved the freezing cold to attend a seminar at the

Architecture Research Office (ARO) featuring a discussion

and question-answer session with ARO Principal Adam

Yarinsky *87. Seminar attendees were intrigued to learn

more about ARO's proposal for the redesign of lower Man-

hattan to address rising sea levels due to global climate

change (which was featured in the Museum of Modern Art)

as well as ARO's innovative, sustainable design approach

toward cultural landmarks such as the Donald Judd

House.

This month the New York Area Committee is teaming

up with the Harvard Center for Public Interest Careers pro-

gram to host a Career Night for the fellows, during which

they will have the opportunity to mingle with and learn

from professionals representing a range of industries in-

cluding law, communications, and international develop-

ment.

John Fish ’55, Chair

Kathryn Miller ’77, President

Joe Sengoba ’10, Secretary

Charles F. Mapes, Jr. ’55, Treasurer

Thomas D. Allison ’66

Margaret Crotty ’94

Kirk Davidson ’55

Rebecca Deaton ’91

Andrew Goldstein ’06

Anne T. Goldstein ’79

Kef Kasdin ’85

Stanley Katz h’21

Debra Kushma ’80

William R. Leahy, Jr. ’66

Tom Magnus ’77

Dana Malman Warren ’03

Kathleen McCleery ’75

Arthur McKee ’90

Dominic Michel ’70

Paula J. Morency ’77

Anthony C. E. Quainton ’55

Margarita Rosa, Esq. ’74

Marsha Rosenthal ’76

Robert Sellery ’60

Judy Hole Suratt s’55

Leesy Taggart ’78

Scott Taylor ’75

Richard E. Thompson ’55

Richard O. Walker ’73

R. Kenly Webster ’55

If you would like to receive Shared Effort electronically,

please email us at info@AlumniCorps.org

Andrew C. Nurkin, Executive Director

Rachel Benevento, Program Director, Emerging Leaders

Jasmine Jeffers ’11, Outreach Coordinator

Sharon Keld ’80, Development Officer

Paul Nehring ’10, Program Director, Princeton Project 55 Fellowships

David Nelson, Office Administrator

Caryn Tomljanovich, Program Coordinator, ARC Innovators

PRINCETON ALUMNICORPS

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